This invention relates to an equipment for loading at a high regular rate the product carrier plates in a lyophilization chamber through the use of containers prearranged externally and positioned at a constant and convenient height level for the operator.
It is known that in lyophilization systems handling products or substances contained within flacons or the like, of the type having a collapsible rack of product carrier plates which are interconnected by flexible links adapted to permit their contracting into a pack at the bottom of the chamber, one of the most difficult problems to solve is that of reducing downtime during the loading step. A further difficult problem awaiting a solution was that of preventing condensation of steam over the product carrier plates, also during the loading step of the system; in fact, in the instance of unstable products to be lyophilized on pre-cooled plates, one of the main drawbacks encountered is condensation on the interior of the lyophilization chamber of considerable amounts of steam, both as drawn in from the outside and as condensed over the cold surfaces of the chamber interior parts, since during the loading operation outside air enters the lyophilization chamber through the open door and the longer the loading time, the greater the quantity of exchange of air moisture.